A variety of approaches have been undertaken in the art to provide improved vehicular suspension systems and equipment. Each of these advances is accompanied by omissions addressed by the present disclosure.
U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2006/0012144 teaches an in-the-wheel suspension system including a drive mechanism for coupling the rotational motion of a wheel rim to the drive shaft of an electric motor and for supporting the wheel rim with respect to the vehicle chassis using one or more springs and dampers.
U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2006/0272871 teaches a suspension system including an outer rotor type motor within the wheel. The motor has a stator provided on an outer surface of a cylindrical member that defines space open to at least an inboard side of the vehicle.
U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2006/0144626 teaches an in-wheel motor including a motor generating motive power, a planetary gear arranged toward a wheel disc relative to the motor to reduce an output of the motor and a shaft arranged toward the wheel disc relative to the planetary gear and connected to a planetary carrier.
U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2005/0247496 teaches an in-wheel motor system wherein the rotating case of an in-wheel motor is connected to a wheel by a flexible coupling comprising a plurality of hollow disk-like plates and direct-acting guides.
U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2006/0219449 teaches a bearing for supporting rotation of either of a rotor and a planetary gear, which is supported by a wall disposed between a motor housing and a gear case room.
U.S. Pat. Appl. Publ. No. 2006/0137926 teaches an electrically motorized assembly equipped with at least one electric motor having an output shaft located eccentrically from an axle of a wheel.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,041,097 teaches a combined vehicle hub and shock absorber.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,578,354 teaches a vehicle suspension system wherein each wheel of the vehicle is supported on a spindle rotatably carried within a hub housing provided with a pair of radially extending pins having a common axis perpendicular to the axis of the spindle.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,722,459 teaches an axle having a bridge arranged at a distance from the wheel axle. The housing of a driving engine is connected with the bridge and with suspension elements, on one side of the axle, to secure the axle to the vehicle and, on the other side, with a hub carrier to receive forces of the wheel. The driving engine has a sufficient axial distance from the wheel axle so as to create a space, in a direction opposite to the axial distance, so that a disk brake and portion of the actuation device of the disk brake can be located within the wheel rim.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,113,119 teaches a wheel connecting assembly for an automobile which includes a wheel carrier and a support having a guide member for guiding the wheel carrier in translational movement relative to the support.
All of the foregoing U.S. Patents and U.S. Patent Applications are incorporated herein by reference.
The suspension and drive system of the present invention has a multitude of advantages over previous vehicle designs, including simplicity of the design and assembly, light weight, space savings, faster and low cost assembly and repair, independent controls on all wheels (steering, drive and all suspension-related functions), improved overall vehicle performance, and optimal suspension performance.
The subject design configuration also will allow manufacturers to use the same parts or even the same units, in different vehicle designs, with or only minor changes.